Where snow-capped peaks meet tea gardens, Buddhist monasteries hide in misty forests, and every winding road reveals another postcard view. Perfect for families, honeymooners and adventurers alike — well-connected hill towns paired with remote mountain escapes.
Four reasons we keep coming back to Sikkim & Darjeeling
Kanchenjunga, up close
The world's third-highest peak (8,586m) sits right on the horizon from Pelling, Darjeeling and half of Gangtok on a clear morning. You don't need a trek — most sunrise views are from a hotel balcony or a short drive.
Monasteries older than the state
Pemayangtse (1705), Rumtek, Tashiding, Enchey — the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages are still lived here, not curated. You can sit through a morning chant and nobody asks you to leave.
Four landscapes in one week
Tea gardens in Darjeeling, glacial lakes in North Sikkim at 5,430m, rhododendron valleys in Yumthang, the old Silk Route's 32 hairpins in Zuluk. Sikkim is small — the variety is absurd for the distance.
Food worth the trip alone
Steamed pork momos at Taste of Tibet, thukpa on a wet afternoon, gundruk soup in a Lepcha home, tongba by a fireplace in Lachen. We still eat this almost every week and haven't got bored.
When to come — month by month
Sikkim runs on two different seasons depending on altitude. Gangtok and Darjeeling are comfortable nine months a year; North Sikkim and the high passes are only properly open for about four. Most people ask about April–May or October–November for good reason — those windows give you clear mountains, open roads and blooming valleys without the monsoon. But there are trade-offs in every month, and we've learnt to talk guests out of bad timing rather than say yes to everyone.
Cold & clear. Snow in Lachen. Darjeeling empty.
Same as Jan, sunnier. Great for Kanchenjunga photography.
Rhododendrons start. Warm days, clear skies.
Peak rhodo bloom in Yumthang. Everything open.
Yumthang in full flower. Schools holiday — book early.
Pre-monsoon showers. North Sikkim risky after mid-month.
Monsoon. Landslides on North Sikkim roads.
Heaviest rain. We don't run North Sikkim trips.
Rain easing. Greenery peaks. North opens mid-Sep.
Post-monsoon clarity. Best mountain views of the year.
Dry, crisp, gorgeous. Our favourite month.
Cold but clear. Snow on the passes. Honeymoon season.
If you can choose freely: come in late October or the first two weeks of November. Weather is settled, monsoon dust has been washed out of the air, and North Sikkim roads have reopened after the rains. For rhododendron chasers, early May is unbeatable — but book three months out because every hotel in Lachung is full. Avoid July and August entirely unless you already know monsoon travel.
Getting there
There's no airport in Sikkim itself — everyone comes through Bagdogra or NJP station in the plains, then drives up. Plan the first day as a travel day; the climb to Gangtok is four to five hours.
By air
Bagdogra (IXB) is the gateway. Direct flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Guwahati. IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet all operate; Kolkata is the most frequent route, about 70 minutes. From Bagdogra, Gangtok is 124 km — a shared taxi is ₹400 per seat, a private sedan ₹3,500–4,500 depending on season, and the drive takes four to five hours through the Teesta valley. Pakyong Airport (PYG) in East Sikkim technically takes flights from Kolkata and Delhi, but schedules are unreliable in monsoon and winter fog — we don't route guests through it unless they insist.
By rail
New Jalpaiguri (NJP) is the railhead — Siliguri's main station, 125 km from Gangtok. The Darjeeling Mail from Kolkata (Sealdah) is the overnight workhorse: boards around 10 pm, reaches NJP around 8 am. From Delhi, the Rajdhani gets in at 5 am, which is painful but workable. Book 2AC or 3AC in advance; these trains fill up in peak season. From NJP, most guests take a taxi straight up — same rates as from Bagdogra. For Darjeeling directly, the toy train from NJP to Darjeeling is scenic but slow (7+ hours). We usually recommend driving up, doing the toy train as a short joy ride from Ghoom.
By road
If you're driving in: NH10 is the only road. Siliguri → Rangpo (the Sikkim border, where permits are checked) → Singtam → Gangtok. The road follows the Teesta river the whole way. Monsoon landslides close NH10 every year — we follow the Sikkim police Twitter account daily in July–September and reroute via Kalimpong if needed. Self-drive is possible but we don't recommend it for first-timers: mountain roads, unpredictable traffic, and no local mechanic knows your rental car. Nearly all our guests use a local driver with an SUV (Innova Crysta or Xylo) — that's ₹3,800–5,500 per day all in, and the driver doubles as an informal guide.
Towns & villages we love
Places we send travellers again and again
Sample journeys we run
Starting points, not templates. Every itinerary gets rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests.
What it costs
Pricing in Sikkim varies more than most people expect. North Sikkim costs far more per day than Gangtok because fewer hotels, fewer vehicles, and extra permits. These ranges are per person on twin-sharing for two adults, excluding flights, for the 5-night Classic Sikkim itinerary. Longer trips scale roughly linearly.
- 3-star hotels, clean but simple
- Shared or small-SUV transport
- Breakfast and dinner included
- All ILP permits handled
- Local English-speaking driver
Good for younger travellers and anyone prioritising experiences over comfort.
- 4-star boutique properties (Summit, Mayfair tier)
- Private Innova Crysta throughout
- All meals + one special Sikkimese meal
- All permits including Nathu La if requested
- Dedicated WhatsApp contact on trip
Where most couples and families land. Our sweet spot.
- Elgin, Mayfair Spa, Denzong Regency
- Private luxury vehicle + back-up car for groups
- All meals, wine pairing on request
- Local guide on all touring days
- Helicopter transfer Bagdogra → Gangtok (weather-dependent)
Honeymooners and older travellers. Includes oxygen-stocked vehicle for North Sikkim.
What isn't in these numbers: flights (budget ₹6,000–18,000 per person round-trip depending on city and season), travel insurance (we require it for North Sikkim — about ₹800 per person), Nathu La permit (₹2,500 extra), and any major alcohol bill at the hotel. ATMs are scarce past Gangtok — carry ₹10,000–15,000 cash per person for the North Sikkim leg for driver tips, roadside meals and monastery donations. Nothing up there takes cards.
Permits we handle for you
Sikkim is a restricted area for foreign nationals and has its own permit system even for Indians. The good news: we handle every permit listed below. You just send us your ID proof (Aadhaar or passport) and two photos and we deliver the paperwork to your hotel on arrival.
Inner Line Permit (ILP)
Foreigners only (Indian nationals do not need ILP)- Passport (original + copy)
- 2 passport-size photos
- Visa copy
Protected Area Permit (PAP)
All visitors (Indians and foreigners)- Voter ID, Driving License, or Passport (Aadhaar NOT accepted)
- Birth certificate for children
- 2 passport-size photos
- Foreigners: must travel in groups of 2+ via a registered travel agent
Nathu La Permit
Indian nationals only (closed to foreigners)- Aadhaar accepted here (also Voter ID/Driving License/Passport)
- 2 passport-size photos
- Apply at least 1 day in advance
- Closed on Mondays — plan visits Tue-Sun
- Daily vehicle cap applies — book early
Here's what actually happens in practice. For Indian travellers there's no ILP needed — just show ID at Rangpo if asked and you're through. For foreign nationals, we ask for a passport scan and photos about ten days before arrival; the ILP itself is issued on arrival at Rangpo in about 15 minutes, our driver handles the counter. For North Sikkim (PAP), we apply through the Tourism Department in Gangtok the morning after you arrive — you'll sign a form in person at our office or your hotel. Permits are usually ready by evening for the next morning's drive. For Nathu La, we apply one day in advance at the Tourism Office, so as long as you let us know your Nathu La plans the day before, you're set. Remember Nathu La is closed on Mondays and has a daily vehicle cap, so Tuesdays and weekends fill up fast. Foreigners cannot visit Nathu La at all. If you're planning to extend your trip on the ground, we can add permits from anywhere — most extensions are done same-day at the Gangtok tourism office.
What you're walking into in Sikkim & Darjeeling
Sikkim is officially trilingual — Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha — but the real cultural pattern is Buddhist layered over indigenous Lepcha animism, with a strong Nepali Hindu influence in the southern belt. The three communities coexist more naturally than most parts of India; intermarriage is common and festivals are shared. This matters on the ground: Dashain, Losar and Tihar are all public holidays, and your driver will happily explain which monastery belongs to which school.
Momos
The default Sikkimese food. Steamed dumplings of pork, chicken or vegetable, served with a fiery red chutney. Every hole-in-the-wall does them — Taste of Tibet on MG Marg is the standard.
Thukpa
Thick noodle soup with meat or vegetables, comfort food on a cold evening. Tibetan in origin, now fully Sikkimese. Order it with a side of chilli paste.
Gundruk & Sinki
Fermented leafy greens — gundruk is from mustard or radish leaves, sinki from radish taproots. Sour, sharp, and paired with rice. An acquired taste; also the most Sikkimese thing you can eat.
Phagshapa
Pork belly slow-cooked with radish and dried chillies. Rich, fatty, slightly bitter from the radish. Best at family-run places, not tourist restaurants.
Churpi soup
Hard yak cheese dropped into a broth of beans and greens. Chewy, nutty, strange the first time. Try it once before deciding.
Tongba
Fermented millet beer served in a wooden mug — you pour hot water over the grains and sip through a bamboo straw. Refills are unlimited until the millet loses its kick. Drink it in Lachen by a fire.
A few things help smooth the ground. At monasteries: remove shoes, don't point at a statue, circumambulate clockwise, and ask before photographing a monk or inside the main hall. Prayer flags are sacred — don't step on them if they fall on a path. 'Namaste' works everywhere; in Bhutia/Tibetan areas 'Tashi delek' gets a warm smile. Tipping: not traditional but now expected in tourist-facing work — ₹200-300 per day for drivers, ₹100-150 for porters. Alcohol is cheap and freely available except on the first of each month (dry day) and a few religious holidays. Sikkim is one of India's safest states — women travel alone routinely and there's a genuine respect for guests rooted in Buddhist hospitality. Dress modestly in monasteries; beachwear-style clothing feels off anywhere outside a hotel pool.